Naia Lasso took victory in the women’s final at the skateboarding’s WST Dubai Park 2024 event on Sunday (3 March).
In a field featuring three Japanese, two American and two Australian skaters, the 15-year-old from Spain’s Basque region put down a near-perfect second run to take first place.
Japan’s reigning world champion Hiraki Cocona was second ahead of 13-year-old compatriot Hasegawa Mizuho in just her second World Skate Tour event.
“I’m super happy,” a surprised Laso told Olympics.com after her win. “I was super nervous and just wanted to do the round – I would have already been happy with that.”
She added: “I still can’t believe it.”
The quality was high from the start with all eight finalists posting clean runs to earn scores in excess of 80 points in the first round.
Hiraki is impressed with a nose grind and stalefish disaster as well as her use of the rail near the end of her run. She was rewarded with a score of 91.60 for the lead from Hasegawa’s 88.91.
That 90-plus mark piled the pressure on Hiraki’s rivals who knew they had to make significant upgrades in order to challenge. After four athletes failed to complete their second runs, Arisa Trew performed two huge 540s as she scored 88.48 to go into third place.
Then Laso, who led Saturday’s semi-finals, produced what would prove to be the winning run. It started with a huge backside air followed by a tail grab, and featured a 540 over the hip with a kickflip Indy to finish.
As the crowd roared their approval, the judges delivered their verdict: 93.46 for the lead. And Hiraki, who was just shy of her first run score on her second attempt, fell on her final run as Laso stayed in front to earn maximum points in the Paris 2024 Olympic qualifier.
Tokyo 2020 Olympic champions Yosozumi Sakura fell attempted big tricks at the end of her second and third runs meaning she had to settle for sixth place with her first-run score of 86.65.